Newcastle’s Daryl Janmaat looking to get on the front foot

Miles Starforth

NEWCASTLE United’s Daryl Janmaat is looking to get on the front foot between now and the end of the season.

The attack-minded defender is keen to add to his six assists.

I know I have my defensive responsibilities, but as a player, I’m always looking to get forward when I can.

Daryl Janmaat

But Janmaat, signed from Feyenoord last summer, won’t have Papiss Demba Cisse to aim for in the box, with the striker set to serve the first game of a seven-match ban for spitting against Everton on Sunday.

Janmaat set up Cisse’s last two goals – his strikes against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace – and he had been looking forward to creating more opportunities for the striker.

But the 25-year-old will now be looking to find the likes of Ayoze Perez and Emmanuel Riviere in the box.

“I know I have my defensive responsibilities, but as a player, I’m always looking to get forward when I can,” Janmaat told the Gazette.

While United head coach John Carver is keen for Janmaat to make an impact in the opposition half, he can’t afford to leave Mike Williamson and his defensive team-mates too exposed.

And Carver has also told Janmaat NOT to shoot on sight after watching him cut inside and shoot with his weaker left foot on a number of occasions.

Janmaat, in Carver’s view, is better suited delivering the ball.

And the quality of Janmaat’s crossing this season, which has more than matched that of his attacking colleagues, has underlined Carver’s viewpoint.

However, Newcastle do not possess another striker with Cisse’s ability to finish, and the Senegal’s absence over the next two months will be keenly felt on the field.

“It helps with that when you have Papiss in the team because he is a really good goalscorer,” said Janmaat.

“You know that if you set him up with a chance, more times than not he will take it.